Comparison

Z Combinator for Hacker News vs command_line

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Z Combinator for Hacker News

An open-source client for browsing Hacker News. It offers a straightforward way to access news and discussions from the popular tech community.

Highlights
  • Hacker News client
  • Open source
  • News aggregation
  • Discussion access
Features
Read full description

Just another open source Hacker News client.

About

command_line

A fast, terminal-style client for reading and participating in Hacker News discussions. Offers a focused interface with features like offline caching and story saving. Premium unlocks account actions and advanced tools for deeper engagement.

Highlights
  • Terminal-inspired interface
  • Browse all story types
  • Threaded comment discussions
  • Search Hacker News
  • Save stories with bookmarks
  • Offline caching
  • Account sign-in and participation
Features
Read full description

command_line is a fast, terminal-style Hacker News client built for readers who want speed, focus, and real participation. Browse top stories, new stories, best stories, Ask HN, Show HN, jobs, polls, profiles, and full discussion threads in a clean mobile experience designed to feel quick, dense, and intentional. Unlike many read-only Hacker News apps, command_line is built for both reading and doing. Free users can browse and read comfortably, while premium unlocks account-based actions and power-user tools. FREE FEATURES • Read Hacker News with a fast, terminal-inspired interface • Browse Top, New, Best, Ask HN, Show HN, Jobs, and Polls • Open full story discussions with threaded comments • Search Hacker News stories and discussions • Save stories with bookmarks for later • Use offline-friendly caching for faster repeat visits • View user profiles and activity • Enjoy a focused dark interface designed for mobile reading PREMIUM FEATURES • Sign in to your Hacker News account • Upvote stories and comments • Reply to discussions • Submit posts • Manage your account session from the app • Access RSS tools and advanced power-user features WHY command_line Most Hacker News clients feel outdated, slow, or limited. command_line was rebuilt to feel fast on every revisit, not just the first load. It combines quick browsing, cached reading, dense threaded discussions, and a terminal-style design that stands out from generic news apps. Whether you just want a better way to read Hacker News on mobile or a premium tool for participating in the community, command_line is built to help you move through the news quickly and stay close to the conversation. SUBSCRIPTION / PURCHASE INFO Premium is available as an optional monthly, yearly, or lifetime upgrade. Reading remains free. Premium unlocks account actions and advanced features such as sign-in, voting, replying, posting, and RSS tools. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store account settings.

Screenshots

Z Combinator for Hacker News4 screens
command_line4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Z Combinator for Hacker News at none against command_line's 3. Z Combinator for Hacker News also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 15 months). command_line's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. command_line sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Z Combinator for Hacker News asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Z Combinator for Hacker News against 5.0 for command_line. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Z Combinator for Hacker News ships an update every 3 weeks, command_line every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and July 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Z Combinator for Hacker News versus command_line: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZ Combinator for Hacker Newscommand_line
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 15 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB39 MB
Age rating+179+
DeveloperJiaqi FengDaniel Shaw

Customer experience

Z Combinator for Hacker News

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

command_line

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Z Combinator for Hacker News

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

command_line

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Z Combinator for Hacker News free?
Z Combinator for Hacker News is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is command_line free?
command_line is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Z Combinator for Hacker News or command_line?
Z Combinator for Hacker News and command_line are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Z Combinator for Hacker News or command_line have ads?
Neither Z Combinator for Hacker News nor command_line shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Z Combinator for Hacker News or command_line?
Z Combinator for Hacker News ships an update every 3 weeks, and command_line every 15 months. Most recently, Z Combinator for Hacker News was updated on September 9, 2026 and command_line on July 23, 2026.

Other comparisons